Human Resources committee  That doesn't come from the CERB, Mr. Généreux. The CERB is the equivalent of minimum wage. If you multiply the minimum wage by 40 hours, you will get more than the CERB benefit. The CERB gets blamed for everything. The reason people saved money was because they couldn't travel,

Human Resources committee  I would like to have continued our conversation, Mr. Généreux. We will have to do it again.

Human Resources committee  In the past, until 1990 I would say, coverage under the employment insurance program was very good. Until 1990, over 80% to 85% of workers were covered by the employment insurance system. If they lost their jobs, they could expect to receive unemployment insurance benefits, as t

Human Resources committee  It's not ignorance, Mr. Généreux. I would say that if you go digging through your committee's archives, you will find plenty of studies and numbers.

Human Resources committee  I'll give you an example. Right now, the premium rate is one of the lowest it's been in 40 years, at $1.58. In 2008-2009, during the last economic crisis, I clearly remember being on the radio with economists, right-wing economists, I must admit, from the Montreal Economic Insti

Human Resources committee  We definitely can. We're aware of these issues and we have already implemented measures to make employment insurance more flexible. Right now, budget announcements are being made for next year. That's fine, but it's not too late to do some good. The expectation is that, by Aug

Human Resources committee  Temporary measures have been introduced in response to the crisis. You know as well as I do that the employment insurance system failed to play its part last year. It was no joke; everything literally collapsed. Offices closed, phone lines didn't work and the Internet system cras

Human Resources committee  Hon. members, I would like to thank you for your invitation. Please note that the document we have provided to you, which is in both official languages, has been modified slightly as a result of the budget. Actually, many things have happened. In particular, the most recent figu

Finance committee  Of course, workers build society. Everything we see around us was made by workers. The current crisis is brutal and the unemployment rate is brutal. We have to make sure that people do not come out of this crisis more in debt or in worse conditions than before. The Canada emerge

Finance committee  We understand that the employment insurance system was not prepared for a situation like the one we have experienced. It is truly a cataclysm. Currently, the employment insurance plan protects only 45% of workers. It leaves out large segments of the population, and this crisis ha

Finance committee  We absolutely have to do that. It is the main social program for income replacement in the event of unemployment. As for the current crisis, this program essentially collapsed in the first week. It was not ready to face such a crisis, and that is not right. Let me quote the Presi

Finance committee  What is clear to us is that we need to rethink the whole social security system. Today, we call it employment insurance, but, for over 50 years, we called it unemployment insurance. Not all solutions are written down and calculated in advance, and there are many opinions in a so

Finance committee  Is your question for me?

Finance committee  Okay. How do you see that? The pension fund issue is not my expertise. My little area is employment insurance, which is the income replacement for workers who have lost their jobs. I imagine that you yourself have thought about possible solutions to protect pension funds. What

Finance committee  It is a great concern, yes. If there is a danger of it, those people must be protected. Income is central to people's lives. Health is also important, of course, but income allows people to provide for their families and to pay for their groceries, rent or mortgage, and their med